The Federal Contracting Playbook.

A plain-language field guide for businesses entering United States federal contracting, published by Bastion Rozelle Partners, an active U.S. federal contractor (CAGE 228Y3). This is the sequence we followed and the sequence we recommend. Every registration described here is free of charge from the government; no legitimate step requires paying a third party.

Part 01Register the entity.

• Register at SAM.gov, the single federal registration system. Registration is free and must be renewed every year. Beware of paid services that imitate it.
• Your Unique Entity ID (UEI) is issued through SAM.gov during registration and replaces the old DUNS number.
• A CAGE code (Commercial and Government Entity) is assigned automatically as part of a complete SAM registration.
• Select your purpose of registration. "All Awards" allows both prime contracts and grants-adjacent awards.

Part 02Choose your NAICS codes.

• NAICS codes describe what you sell. Choose a primary code and the secondary codes that genuinely fit; agencies search by them.
• Each code carries an SBA size standard (revenue or headcount) that determines whether you qualify as a small business under that code.
• Revisit your codes annually. Your mix should follow the work you actually pursue.

Part 03Claim the certifications you have earned.

• Small business status is self-certified in SAM against the size standard of each NAICS code.
• Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB and EDWOSB), 8(a), HUBZone, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB) programs each have their own certification paths through SBA systems.
• Certifications open set-aside competitions where only certified firms may bid. They do not win work by themselves; they narrow the field.

Part 04Find the work.

• Prime opportunities are posted publicly in the Contract Opportunities section of SAM.gov.
• Subcontracting is the most realistic entry point for most new firms: large primes carry small business subcontracting goals and maintain supplier portals. Register in them.
• Agency forecasts publish what each agency expects to buy; use them to build a pipeline a year ahead.
• Multiple-award vehicles (GSA schedules, agency IDIQs such as the Navy Seaport marketplace) are longer plays; pursue them once past performance exists.

Part 05Write a capability statement that works.

• One page. Core competencies, differentiators, past performance, and your identifiers: CAGE, UEI, NAICS codes, certifications, and a direct contact.
• Write it for the contracting officer who has thirty seconds. Lead with what you deliver, not with adjectives.
• Tailor it per agency. A generic statement reads as one.

Part 06Be ready to perform.

• Read the FAR clauses in any solicitation before you bid; flowdowns bind subcontractors too.
• Invoicing runs through government systems (for example, WAWF for defense work). Set them up before the first invoice is due.
• Handling controlled unclassified information brings cybersecurity obligations (NIST SP 800-171, and CMMC for defense work). Know your data footprint before you accept it.
• Keep accounting, insurance, and timekeeping ready for government scrutiny from day one.

Part 07Build the record.

• Past performance is the currency of federal contracting. Deliver small work impeccably and document it.
• Team deliberately. Joint ventures and mentor-protege relationships extend your reach while the record builds.
• Discipline wins: a maintained registration, a current capability statement, a real pipeline, and follow-through.